Chapter 48

I never thought I would see his face again. His brown eyes were full of light still. His hair was much more tussled than the last time I had saw him. A couple minor cuts were etched into his face.

My stomach dropped like a sinking ship when he looked up at me.

"Lee?" He said in his soft voice.

"Do you know this man?" The Naporia guard glared at me. Orion studied me.

"No. No. He must be mistaken. Can we talk outside for a moment?" I asked in the sturdiest voice I could muster.

The guard nodded and told the other guards to watch him until we had returned.

We stepped in the hall together, along with Orion.

"Where did you find him?" I asked the guard, doing my absolute best to remain calm.

"Hiding in the stables. A guard found him while patrolling."

"And you think he's been here since the attack?"

"Seems that way. I am more than happy to hurt him until he tells us why he's here." The guard made a fist.

"No, don't! We will handle this." I said.

"Sir, I would strongly advise you-." The guard started.

"Did you not hear the queen? Should I go tell her you are defying her once more? I'm sure she'd love having to come all the way from her chambers to discipline you. I'm sure she'd take an easy on you, don't you think?" Orion defended me.

The guard furrowed his eyebrows then gave a sharp look at Orion before returning to me.

"Fine. Men! Let's go. We will return in the morning." He huffed.

The three of them left, the guard shooting a sharp glare at us as we walked away.

"I don't recognize him. He must not be very high ranking." Orion said studying Carlo's face.

I internally argued whether I should tell Orion who he was. Perhaps he'd understand, or would he? I wondered what he would do in a similar position. Would he let him go? Or would he want him to suffer regardless? The queen finding out about my past love for a Vendov solider would only cause further conflict.

I also knew that I didn't want to lay a hand on him. I couldn't lay a hand on him, or let anybody else hurt him.

"Let me go in there first."

"You don't want to go in there together? I think we'd be safer that way." Orion said.

"I don't think he's capable of hurting anyone."

"You can't be so sure. Vendov soldier's are ruthless. Just because he seems nice doesn't mean that he is."

Orion made me wonder about Carlo. Perhaps he was right. Was Carlo vicious? Did I even really know him? I tried to convince myself that Orion was right, but I knew Carlo. I couldn't imagine doing anything harmful to anyone. He was always so soft and kind.

Yet, I also thought that if Samuel. Perhaps handsome faces blurred my judgement.

"Orion, please. Trust me. Even if you want to only give me five minutes with him. Let me have it." I requested.

"Why are you being strange?"

"I'm not. Just trust me. Please." I begged.

I looked into Orion's eyes. He looked back into mine.

"Fine. Five minutes to do whatever you are up to." He said firmly.

"Thank you, Orion."

I abandoned him outside the door. I entered and turned towards the man in the chair. The door made a loud thump behind me as I closed it. We were finally alone.

"Carlo." I said.

"Lee! I knew it was you."

I for a moment, I forgot how untruthful I was to him. He didn't even know my name, nor who I really was.

"What are you doing here? You fighting for Vendov now?" I asked him, staring at his Bendov armor. It was black and a deep, blood red. It was strange to see him in it compared to his normal attire of sweaters and slacks. Perhaps this was who he really was.

"Not by choice. After you left, they did a raid on the city. They insisted that I had to join the army to prove my loyalty or die. They sent a bunch of us to join on the attack on Naporia. I didn't hurt anyone, I swear." He explained. I felt that there was truth to his words. I lowered myself to him.

"Carlo, I am so sorry. If it weren't for me, you would have never been any of this mess of a war. You deserve better than this."

"I just wanted to help you, Lee. I knew you were a damn loyalist, but I don't care. I'm not going to hurt you or any of your friends."

"Why did you stay?" I asked.

"I wanted to leave, but the guard's were everywhere. I've been hiding in the horses shed. I knew if they found me they'd kill me."

He was as kind as the day I left him. No, perhaps he was kinder. He didn't deserve to be forced in a fight that wasn't his.

"Do you know anything?" I asked.

"I don't know much. I heard a group of men saying that Vendov was planning on taking Dewsbury next. That's all I know, I swear."

"I believe you, Car

He looked at me with his soft eyes. I wanted to untie him. I wanted to tell him to run. My feelings for him were hard to deny. All I wanted was for him to be safe. He wasn't safe in Naporia. Perhaps he wasn't safe in Vendov either.

"Carlo. I need you to listen to me carefully. I want you to-."

There was a knock on the door. I shot up, straightened my spine and removed my eyes from him.

Orion came in.

"Who is this trader?" He asked, peering down at Carlo.

"Some guy from the army. Not very high ranking, as you suspected. But he said Vendov is going to strike Dewsbury before Darlington."

"Is that so? He could be lying to throw us off the trail." Orion withdrew a dagger from his pocket and held it up to Carlo.

"I don't think he's lying! He's telling the truth!" I screeched.

Orion shot a confused look at my face.

"Sir. I'm sorry. Aren't you Orion, the prince of Vendov?" Carlo said calmly, despite a dagger near him.

"I'm no prince. I left." He said sharply.

"There's wanted posters all over Vendov looking for you. Very high reward."

"Knowing my father, that is not a surprise to me. Let me guess, he wants me alive?"

"Yes, your highness." Carlo said.

"Do not call me that!" Orion jabbed his dagger towards Carlo's neck.

"I'm sorry, I'm not used to being around royals much. I'm just a common librarian." Carlo glanced over at me.

"Common librarian that is fighting in the war?" Orion raised an eyebrow, questioning the legitimacy of Carlo's story.

"They made me. I didn't have a choice. I haven't hurt anyone. I swear. I could never hurt anyone."

"Give us anymore information you have about Vendov!" Orion demanded.

"I promise I know nothing more! I'm new to the army, I don't know much!"

"I believe him, Orion. Please take the dagger down." I said.

"Why are you so soft right now? He's an enemy!"

"Orion, you were an enemy once too. Now look where you are."

Orion lowered his dagger and turned his attention towards me.

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting not everyone in Vendov is as evil as your father. You of all people should know about that."

"Fine, I'll end the interrogation. Let's kill him."